The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-01
SAVED THIRTEEN LIVES.

Ida Lewis Wilson and Her Faithful Row
Boat-The Heroine of Lime Rock.
Newport R. l. Correspondence Boston Globe
Ida Lewis showed the other day the boat
that she has used in all her rescues. 1t looks
old now. and lazy enough. fiatng by the landing
at the Lime Rocks but it has never failed when
it has been needed. The fancy craft that was
presented by the citizens of Newport one Fourth
of July is hauled up in the boat house. That is
for pleasure; the other Is for business Ida
Lewis pulled thirteen men and boys out of the
water and the ice. between the light and Fort
Adams in the winters between 1869 and 1881.
She is perhaps fortytwo now, and perhaps a
little the for the terrible exposure she has
gone through, but don't believe there could be
life in danger now anywhere in the harbor
that abe would not do what she could TO save it,
whether she risked her recklessly or not.
Susan Il. Anthony was down here a while ago
to call on her old friend, the heroine of Lime
Rock well Ida." size said during the stay.
Il suppose you'd go IN just the same now if any
body were in danger"
u think l should" replied this American
Grace Darling. ''if couldn't save them | sup
pose I'd have to die with them
Young Willie Champion, lad not fourteen
yet. who rowed me out to the light, thinks the
Thistle will win in light wind, but that the Vol
uuteer will leave the bonny Scotch beauty out
Of the race if there is stiff breeze. He can sail
a boat we'll as he row. and he has his
own ideas about matters nautical.
The Lime Rocks peek out OF the water
opposite Haliidon Hill. They are in the range
of Goat island aad just whore all the yachts
going out toward the fort have to pass them. A
and three chambers is perched upon the main
ledge. There is piazza on the side that faces
the town large enough to dance Virginia reel
on; and a small sitting and q small boat
house connected with the dwelling by neat
plank walk stand some distance apart. There
is patch of earth, too among the rocks under
the kitchen window and hardy flowers bloom for
the company of the only inhaoitant of the mar
row island In the upper corner of the house
the red light burns constantly from sunset to
sunrise for the safety of the sailors
Ida Lewis alone. Her mother who had
kept the light before her, died six weeks ago.
and her brother Rudolph, who came home to do
every thing he could to help about the nursing,
has gone away coasting again. The Captain
Wilson-one of her medals is inscribed Ida
Lewis Wilson"-who was married to Miss Lewis
long ago. has never, believe, lived with her for
any length of time for some reason. II it were
not that she enjoyed books and Homework, and
found companions hip even in the breaking spray,
she might indeed be lonely.
Il like Homework so much" this remark able
woman said to me- the day | called; mother
used to ask me what did this or that for about
the house. L never could give any reason except
that | enjoyed it.
climbed up the ladder to the little stone pier
gracefully possible and started up the
walk towards the house big Newfoundland
dog greeted me and looked for a minute as if he
would make it hot; but he was really too fat to
be very ferociors, and at most opportune time
the light-keeper stopped further hostilites;
whereupon Rover" for that was the big dogs
name, lay down and rolled over playfuv and
looked little ashamed. The small black and
tan that Ola so mucn ScaEperlnS around, she
said, used to belong to her sister, who had died
of consumption four years ago, one OF the
prettiest and best girls that ever walked in
Newport Its name was Monte
We sat down IN the kitchen. Ida Lewis is a
little gray, and theswrinkles come now and then
in her brave face, but the eyes are bright and
the arms seem muscular enough to pull boat
in any kind of weather. 1t was plain calico
dress that she wore, and there were traces that
she hac been busy with the homework. The
kitchen neat and convenient. One evidently
ho
Il should be lonesome" she said. 'ff 1 hadn't
lived here all my life. l miss mother. and Ru-
dolph, our baby, ia away: but [ keep busy if
can and that keeps me from being melancholy.
Father was the first TO keep the light. Then
mother was appointed l always helped them,
and shouldn't Or at home anywhere else. There
are almost visitors now. They know that my
mother is dead and don't like to come They
stopped coming at the time Hattie died, four
years ago. too. She was beauty and ia, as good
as she was pretty. In the summer of 187O-thar
was Just after my first rescue-1O 900 people
came to the island in three months. A great
many came every year after that, and there
were great many noted people among them
from all over the country. But it old
story, suppose and after Hattie disd very few
came. Most OF them used to sail from
Newport, but once in a while would row out to
the pier, just opposite the rock, and get them if
l knew them very we'll"
You recall very wildly" I suggested, 'all
Eyes. | remember about them very WE'LL"
the light keeper replied; though the last
was long ago as 1881 You see, whore they
used to reach the fort by of sail boats
they have a steam launch now and there is little
or no danger The first time | saved anybody
was in 1869. little Lynch boy fourteen years
old. started TO carry Sergeant Adams and sol
der at the fort over. They got upset and the
boy was drowned. but got the men out
Il remember it very we'll. Mother was up
stairs trimming the light and was here In the
kitchen. All of a sudden she came rushing
down almost crazy and crying, oh, God! Ida,
there are men drowning; there are men drown
ngi I didn't stop second. but grabbed a towel
from over the sink there, bound 1t around my |
head, and hurried just as | was. in my stocking |
feet, to the boat-yes that old one you saw |
when you landed / got aground myself once, |
again. The boy had gone down. but the men
were still clinging to the boat with death grip,
" til their heads under the water most OF the |
time When they saw me coming they almost
gave M heard of them cry. MY God. It's
,nly a womanr But got TO them, and got them
as bore ali right but one of them we couldt bring
TO for a long time. and didn't know as we
aver should The other wasn't so bad; but they
.ame pretty near going, both OF them. They
had n barge at the fort, boat that would hold a
dozen or fourteen. and / could see them trying
TO get that off before it closed down thick but
thew couldn't, the surf high They |
thought the whole of us were lost; they me
put off for them and they thought / went with
the rest You can imagine how surprised they
we're at the fort when they saw me pulling over
he next morning with he two men aboard. It's
hard enough to get a boat away from shore
10 land without smashing her TO pieces, but it's
harder to get u drowning person out of the
water. They won't do what you tell them to
md you can't manage them"
80 you used that same boat alwaysW / |
aked
Yes my host replied, "that same old